10 Songs That Should Be On Everybody's I-Pod

I was thinking about doing this top 10 with those headbanger ball favorites of mine that are pretty much obscure to the masses and so this is what I'm going to attempt.

10. Give It All You Got by Shy England
09. Shout by Grand Prix
08. Me Against The World by Lizzy Borden
07. Tainted Angel by Southgang
06. When Your Brains Go Your Balls by Sleez Beez
05. Walking Shoes by Tora Tora
04. Lonely Rose by Sons Of Angels
03. No Easy Way Out by Roxx Gang
02. 777 by D'Molls
01. Feel The Shake by Jetboy

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Shakra - Back On Track

Here is a band that's been around for a long time but unable to break into the North American market. This is their ninth album release and I think it's the best of their career so far. The album's opening number is called "B True B You" and its a mover that sounds similar to the modern rock currently being released by Shinedown, Tantric and so forth. The band is another in a growing group of top notch hard rock/heavy metal from Switzerland. If the band get some label to release the album over here I'm fairly sure they could penetrate the market enough to get on some major tours in a supporting role. With the internet a major label is not necessary for them just a team of promotion folks to get their music out in the channels and to satellite radio stations.

The bands song "Crazy" could easily be a hit single without a ton of effort just a chance to be heard and it would grow into a hit all by itself. The band can really grind too just listen to "Back On Track" the albums title cut. It's a seriously good song that has a good chorus and a great riff in a Zakk Wylde vein for lack of a better comparison. The uptempo tunes are all decent and they do have a couple of slower songs or power ballads which are also good. Not quite as good as the Art Of Dying power ballads but are radio friendly and a cut above much of the stuff hitting the charts from this genre for sure. The Dio influenced guitar on "Lonesomeness" makes me smile when I hear it every time knowing his legacy and impact on heavy metal will forever be.

Overall this album deserves to be a huge success for the band and it is one of their strongest albums so far. Let's all hope that this is the one that makes them more famous over here so they can continue to grow their legacy.

Song Highlights: Lonesomeness, Brand New Day, Crazy, Stronger Than Ever & Someday

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Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive

This review will be short considering there isn't much to say about the new Michael Monroe record. It's pretty good considering he's not usually much for making deep albums single wise. Since the release of his best solo album Dead, Jail or Rock N' Roll the Monroe output has been sketchy at best. That album is a monster though and if you aren't familiar with it I highly recommend a listen or twelve. I've been listening to the album mostly in my car while driving and I've become fond of a few tracks and admittedly enjoy this album more than all his solo records since the previously mentioned one.

Song Highlights: '78, Later Won't Wait, Modern Day Miracle, All You Need, Gone Baby Gone & Another Night In The Sun

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Electrci Boys - And Them Boys Done Swang

The excitement that exploded from me when I saw this album was surprising even to myself. I absolutely loved this band when they first debuted in 1989 with the illustrious Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride. That album was unlike most of the so called hair metal of the era with a depth not heard by most bands even outside the hard rock/heavy metal world.

The band continued their astute creativity on their follow-up which was bathed in a darker shade of psychedelic sound scape's. After the explosion of grunge and the alternative rock genre the Electric Boys seemed to panic and stripped all the layers off their sound when releasing their third album. The label change and money for a big production also limited this albums quality hurting some of the songs. Still a solid hard rock record and "Sleeping In The World's Smallest Bed" is still one of the best rock songs that is lost in obscurity.

Seventeen years have passed since the last album by this exquisite band of rock n' roll gypsies. 2011 returns this band to their fans better late late never too. Now the absolute most important part of this band was the chemistry of the members. They are a team that made the music special with individual greatness, with the meritorious drumming of Niclas Sigevall driving their sound forward the band had their own signature sound. All that and more is present in 2011 and the band sound as if the years between releases never happened. That's what makes And Them Boys Done Swang as great as it is. Conny Bloom outside of being an incredible vocalist is also a great song writer. His understanding of writing a hook in a song is uncanny sometimes verging on brilliance.

This album is almost as good as the debut because of the immediacy of the songs. From the first note of "Reeferlord" my fears were laid to rest and my excitement level gained even more momentum. "Sometimes U Gotta Go Look For The Car" has the groovy swagger those of us who are familiar with the band love. The album is long at fifteen tracks but never falls off the rails at any point, just one cool tune after another. Overall this is another strong album from a band I never thought would get back together in their original form. It's my first shocking music moment of 2011 and I have to admit I didn't realize how much I missed this band until I became re-connected from hearing this sensational new set of tunes.

Song Highlights: The Day the Gypsies Came To Town, Father Popcorn's Magic Oysters, Reeferlord, A Mother Of A Love Story, Chickalicious & My Heart's Not For Sale

Electric Boys - Father Popcorn's Magic Oysters by Cosmos Music Group

Conny Niclas Andy Franco

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Art Of Dying - Vices & Virtues

Another of more modern metal bands that lean towards alt. rock brings forth their new album. The difference between Art Of Dying and my last review Protest The Hero is that AOD are focused and understand how to form songs into listenable music. All the aggression is present that is needed to make this genre what it is. After listening to the latest Saliva album and being a little disappointed in them I find AOD has released the album I more so expected from Saliva.

AOD is not a band I've been really familiar with but I will spend time getting acquainted with Vices & Virtues. The band have a song called "Sorry" on this album that sits right in my wheelhouse when it comes to power ballads. This is a truly brilliant power ballad that even though it might have familiar styling to others in the genre is a classic slice. It will forever be added to my rotation of regular listened to songs. I can't find anything about the song I don't think is great a flawless piece of songwriting. The band have another song on here that is flawless called "The Best I Can" worth a click over to I-Tunes for a purchase.

Overall Vices & Virtues is a well produced hard rock record that could make this band the next big thing. I love this album!

Song Highlights: Best I Can, Sorry, Breathe Again, Die Trying, Whole World's Crazy & Get Thru This

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Protest The Hero - Scurrilous

Well Protest The Hero have written another song, well re-hashed the same song ten more times. I will be honest I didn't get through one song completely that's how dull this crap is. This is like those weak ass funk metal albums from the 90's bands that thought they had something great except these forgot to bring the funk part or are too bloody white to find a groovy grind. Over the top rhythmic pattern changes a drummer who just runs all over the place all the time doesn't make this progressive metal folks.

Bands like Faith No More, Electric Boys, Dream Theatre, Mind Funk, Living Color and Suicidal Tendencies all do this music better than Protest The Hero can ever dream of doing whether is be progressive metal or Funk infused metal. They can't touch Bullet For My Valentine and can't match the metal depth of Avenged Sevenfold and when your playing in those bands schoolyard you have to have some ammo to bring to the fire fight which this band is sorely missing. At least your dad's painting is good cuz that's all there is that's good on this waste of studio time and the time I spent listening to your crap. Break up already would ya nobody needs more of this sludge.

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We Made God - It's Getting Colder

Great name for a band because it's the absolute truth about humanity and the age old bullshit storybook called the bible. The album title given the bands name another winner for sure in its cynicism. I really knew before playing through this album that it was going to be complete shit post-metal alt. rock and boy was I ever right. This band needs a lead singer to start and with the addition of an actual vocalist that has skill and talent their U2, Kyuss, Tool, Radiohead, Pink Floyd psychedelic rock might be listenable. The musicianship on display is there and I like some of the atmosphere they create but then the vocalist ruins it every single time. Another band that can't live up to their clever name and album title and one that will probably be gone by next year if all is right in this year of 2011.

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